Apparatus for the production of gas at high temperature and pressure



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E. FRANCHIMONT ET AL APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF GAS Filed Feb. 19,1921 F: 2 5 4 J ne 2, 1925.

AT HIGH TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUDOBE FRANCHIMO'NT AND VITAL CESAR, or IXELLES, BELGIUM.

APPARATUS ron THE PRODUCTION or GAS AT HIGH TEMPERATURE AND rnnssuruaSerial No. 446,477.

(GRANTED UNDER THE raov rsrons or rm: ACT or MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT,YL:,1313.

T 0 all whom it may 0011mm:

Be it known that we, EUDORE FRANCHI- rrox'r and VITAL CESAR, subjects ofthe King of Belgium, and residents of Ixelles, in the Kingdom ofBelgium, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor the Production of Gas at High Temperature and Pressure (for which wefiled an application in Belgium, Feb. 16, 1920, Patent No. 285,068) andwe do hereby de clare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of referencemarked therein, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for the production of hot gasesunderpressure and more particularly to an internal combustion six strokeengine of-the Diesel type, so designed that the expansion of combustiongases in the cylinders is continued'only as far as necessary in order toensure economic continuity of the working thereof.

In other words, the object of this invention is an internal combustionengine of reduced volume, wherein the motive couple is reduced to zeroin order to release, available for other industrial uses, the greatestpossible quantity of combustion gases.v

The appliances of this kind known-hitherto have among others thefollowing disadvantages (1) They fail to spread over a sufiicient numberof strokes the heat produced by combustion, which heat is stored withinthe walls of the cylinders and in the timing-gear during at least twocomplete strokes (compression and combustion), whatever be the cycleutilized.

(2) They do not permit the production on economic lines of large volumesof gas at comparativelyhigh pressure of 12 to 20 atmospheres forinstance.

(3) They do not embody sufiicient means of regulation to ensure theproper working of the generator.

(4-) At each cycle they imprison within the cylinders 21' compartivelylarge quantity of noxious residual gases-we mean thereby those hot gasesunder pressure which are not forced out of the cylinders and whichprevent normal admission of fresh air for thenext following cycle.

In this invention, the above drawbacks are eliminated by causing thethermodynamic generator to work according to acycle having the followingessential stages and which consequently .comprisesat least six differentstrokes:

(1) Admission of fresh compressed air.

(2) Further compression of. the above compressed air. v

(3) Injection of the combustiblefiuid combustion and partial expansionof the gases resulting from combustion.

(at) Forcing under pressure, towards the utilization apparatus, of partof such partly expanded hot, gases.

(5) Expansion eventually as complete as possibleofthe gases remaining inthe combustion chamber.

(6) Expulsion of such residual gases- (eventually completely expanded).

In addition this invention. provides for the case when the abovedescribed six-stroke cycle is completed by additional strokes, with aview to achieving any other desired ends, such as more complete exhaustor sweeping of the gases from the cylinders.

The drawings annexed hereto represent by way of example a way ofcarrying out this invention involving the utilization of asi-x-strokecycle. I

Figures 1 to 6 show diagrammaticallya cylinder at each of the sixstrokes of the cycle,

Fig. 1 showing the position at the time of admission of compressed air,

Fig. 2 at the time of compression,

Fig. 3 at the time ofinjecting combustible fluid, I

Fig. 4; at the time of driving back under pressure, a portion of the hotgases, 7

Fig. 5 at the time of beginning of the final expansion of the gasremaining in the combustion chamber, and; c

Fig. 6 at the time of-the beginning of scavengirwof the burnt gases.

Figure is the standard dynamic diagram of the appliance illustratediniFiguresql to 6; I

Fi ure 8 shows a eneratin c linder for the combustible fluid underpressure.

Valve 3, is that used for the exhaust or forcing out of the burnt gasesat high pressure P and at a high temperature, towards the apparatus ortanks used for the industrial application of such gases.

Valve 4 is that utilized for final exhaust under atmosphericpressure Pof partially expanded residual gases.

These valves will actually be operated b cam-shaft rotating at one-thirdcrank sha t speed.

In'the diagram, Fig. 7, the various pressures P P P indicated on theordinate OP are: P atmospheric pressure; P -pressure of compressed airadmitted at the first stroke :and P pressure of the burnt gases'sweptout for the purpose of the industrial utilization thereof.

7 Vhen the generator Works as per the diagram in Fig. 7, valve 1 (Fig.1), opens at the commencement of the first stroke and admits aircompressed at P pressure.

Air will be admitted into the cylinder of the apparatus substantiallyaccording to the horizontal line AB (Fig. 7) which relates to the firststroke of the cycle. At the second stroke (Fig. 2) all valves 1, 2, 3, 4being closed, the return motion of the piston effects further oradditional compression and the heating of the air which had been admitted 'during the first stroke. The second is represented by the moreor less adiabatic curve BGC in Fig. 7.

The third stroke (Fig. comprises two parts (a) part CD being the periodof injection and combustion of the fluid injected from the moment thisstroke commences, by "alve2 (b) and part DE which is the period ofpartial expansion'of thegases resulting from combustion;

At the fourth stroke (Fig. 4) valve 3 opens through which hot andpartially expanded gases at P pressure, are forced out of the cylindersintothe apparatus provided for the utilization of such gases. Thisstroke is'repre'sented by line EFGH. The opening moment of valve 3 maybe timed with such advance as may in practice be found. necessary forthe proper and eflicient working of the machine, thus causing the suddenfall of pressure EF.

At the fifth stroke (Fig. 5) all the apertures or valves are closed; theburnt gases remaining in the combustion chamber expand. This expansionis represented in the diagram shown in Fig. 7 by the curve HIJ.

Towardsthe end of this stroke, the exhaust port 4 commences to open,this may be timed with such advance as may be required, thus causing thesudden fall of pressure represented by the line JK. Consequently,aforesaid fifth stroke is represented by curve HIJK.

The cycle is completed by the sixth stroke (Fig. 6) during which thepiston forces out into'the open, at P pressure, the expanded gasesremaining in the cylinder. During all this time, valve 4 remains openhaving in fact openedtowards the end of the previous stroke. The sixthstroke is represented in the diagram of Fig. 7 by lineKA'.

' It should be observed that diagram (Fig. 7) consistsof two portions,viz: i

(a) Motive parts (areas representing driving power) represented by areasCDEFG and AIJKA.

(b) The resisting part (areas representin the work done) represented bysurface 4 H IBI.

It goes without saying that in order to ensure the continuity of theworking of the apparatus, the injection of the fuel must be regulated insuch a manner that the sum of the working or motive parts beperiodically equal to the value of the resisting part HG'BI, increasedby the value of such a surface as is proportionate to the work of thepassive resistance since the latter may comprise the work necessary forthe compression of fresh air at pressure P Diminution of the. resistingportion HGBI of the diagram shown in Fig. 7 and even the transformationthereof into amotive part will obviously favour the starting or themaintenance of the speed of the machine. Therefore this will I desirableeither for starting purposes or for making provision for any heavydiminution or even any temporary suppression (for economical purposes)of the combustible oil injection.

In connection with the resisting surfaces of the diagram, we havereferred hereinbefore to the question of the work necessary for thecompression of fresh air to P pressure. In the case of a cyclecomprising at least six strokes, this work which relates to largevolumes of air, sucked in at atmospheric pressure, can be performed in aspecially efficient manner through thecombination, represented in Fig.8, of the generator cylinder G with a coinpressor'cylinder C.

The capacity of said'compressor may in effect be comparatively veryreduced seeing that it works in a two-stroke cycle, whilst thecorresponding generator cylinder works according to a cycleeomprising atleast six strokes. In other Words, this compressor at each compressioncyc1eis called upon to suck in at 5 and drive out at 6-towards the airtank at P pressure, only one thirdthis being the maximumof the airsucked in at 1 and required, each cycle, by the generator cylinder inconjunction with which the compressor is used. Due to the reducedcapacity of said compressor, the latter does not in practice prove to bea cumbrous addition relative to bearings 7 and 8. This arrangement is amost happy one and is the result of the adoption of a cycle comprisingat least six strokes.

In Figure 8, which better than the previous figures, shows the wholearrangement of a generator cylinder together with feed air compressor,there has been shown at 9 the shaft carrying the cams 10, 10, 10", 10operating the valves numbered 1, 2, 3, whose meaning is similar to thatof the same numerals in Figures 1 to 6. 11 represents the main crankshaft of the generator. )ue to the gears 12 and 13 and the inter- 5mediate shaft 14, shaft 9 here revolves at one third the speed of crankshaft 11.

It should be observed that the advantages indigenous to the six-strokecycle are as follows (1) A greater time interval is afforded between theperiods of high temperature and consequently better cooling of thecylinders is secured.

More time between periods of high tem perature is absolutelyindispensable in order to ensure the proper preservation of thecylinders and timing gears in good condition, in the case of ahiglrpressure and high-temperature gas generator.

(2) Utilization whilst ensuring the expansion thereof prior to theexpulsion thereof into the open of the gases which remain in thecylinder after driving out or exhaust towards industrial apparatus,resulting in the realization of a motive diag am of such nature as willincrease the thermic output of the thermo-dynan'iic generator.

(3) Possibility of using a small sized compressor cylinder inCOI1]L1I1CtiOI1 with each generator cylinder.

Due to the admission of air under pressure at the first stroke of thecycle, it is possible, in the case of a generator cylinder of any givendiameter to reduce the stroke of the piston, this resulting in thereduction of the volume and therefore of the space required andconsequently reduction of the price of the cylinders, and in thepossibility, the lineal speed of the piston being equal, of increasingthe rotation speed of the generator shaft, producing an increase in theproduction power.

Due to a cycle affording high further compression it is possible toobtain a reduction of the volume of the combustion chamber and thereforea minimum or negligible quantity of burnt gases remaining within thecylinder when fresh air is admitted.

What we claim is:

The method of generating high pressure and temperature gases whichcomprises feeding a six-stroke cycle internal combustion engine on thefirst stroke with compressed air which is further compressed on thesecond stroke, injecting combustible fluid and effecting the combustionand partial expansion of the gases on the third stroke, driving out partof the hot and partially expanded gases for use on the fourth stroke,expanding residual gases on the fifth stroke and finally, on the sixthstroke, expelling the residual gases.

In testimony whereof we atlix our signatures in presence of twoWitnesses.

EUDORE FBANCHIMONT. VlTAL CESAR. \Vitnesses:

LnoNAnn LnvA, PIERRE BECQUET.

